Week 2 BUSN 1210 W25 IN l

Welcome to Management Essentials

• Course Title: Management Essentials (BUSN 1210)

• Instructor: Russ Heritage

• Contact Info: heritager@douglascollege.ca

• Session: Week 2

Administrative Questions

• Navigation: Students should confirm their ability to navigate Blackboard.

• Assignments: Check if the Introduction assignment has been submitted to Turnitin.

• Course Materials: Have all students read the Course Outline and Timetable?

Understanding Management

Definition of a Manager

• A manager is defined as someone who works with and through other people to coordinate their activities in achieving organizational goals.

Key Management Functions (Exhibit 1-3)

Planning

• Involves defining goals, establishing strategies, and developing subplans to coordinate activities.

Organizing

• Focuses on determining what needs to be done, how it will be done, and who is responsible for completing tasks.

Leading

• Encompasses directing and motivating all parties involved and resolving conflicts.

Controlling

• Involves monitoring activities to ensure they are accomplished as planned.

• All management functions contribute to achieving the organization's stated purpose.

Management Skills Approach (Robert Katz)

Types of Management Skills

• Technical Skills: Knowledge and proficiency in a specific field.

• Human Skills: The ability to work well with other people.

• Conceptual Skills: The capacity to think in complex and abstract terms regarding the organization.

Today's Agenda

1. Organizational Culture and the Organizational Environment (Chapter 2).

2. Managing Responsibly and Ethically (Chapter 6).

3. Meet your new team discussion.

Organizational Culture Discussion Topic

• Topic of Discussion: What is Organizational Culture, and why does it matter?

Learning Outcomes for Chapter 2

1. Compare and contrast actions of managers according to omnipotent and symbolic views.

2. Discuss characteristics and importance of organizational culture.

3. Identify current issues in organizational culture.

4. Describe features of the external environment.

Managerial Perspectives

The Manager: Omnipotent vs. Symbolic Views

• Omnipotent View: Managers are seen as directly responsible for organizational success or failure; quality of organization depends on management quality.

• Symbolic View: Managers' ability to affect outcomes is influenced and limited by external factors (e.g., economy, customers, government policies).

Understanding Organizational Culture

What Is Organizational Culture?

• Definition: A system of shared meaning and beliefs held by organizational members influencing their interactions with each other and outsiders.

• Common Phrase: "The way we do things around here."

Components of Organizational Culture

• Values: Core principles that guide behavior.

• Beliefs: Concepts that are accepted as true.

• Assumptions: Underlying perceptions that are often taken for granted.

Characteristics of Strong Organizational Culture

• Key values are deeply and widely held.

• Strong influence on organizational members’ behaviors and attitudes.

Benefits of Strong Cultures

• Greater employee loyalty.

• Association with high organizational performance.

• Potential downside: may limit adaptability during rapid change.

Establishing the Right Culture

• Methods include:

  • Recruiting employees who fit the desired culture.

  • Actions by top management to promote desired culture.

  • Socializing new employees for cultural adaptation.

Learning Organizational Culture

How Employees Learn Culture

• Stories: Narratives of significant events that convey the organization's spirit.

• Rituals: Routine activities that reinforce values.

• Artifacts and Symbols: Physical aspects that differentiate the organization.

• Language: Unique terms and jargon that reflect culture.

Origin and Continuation of Culture

• Culture stems from the vision and mission of the organization's founder and adapts based on macro environmental factors.

Subcultures in Organizations

• Dominant cultures exist alongside subcultures defined by departments or geographic locations, incorporating both core values and unique attributes.

Dimensions of Organizational Culture

• Innovation and Risk-Taking: Encouragement of innovation versus preference for stability.

• Attention to Detail: Degree of emphasis on precision and analysis.

• Outcome Orientation: Focus on results rather than processes.

• People Orientation: Attention to the impact of decisions on individuals.

• Aggressiveness: Competitive versus cooperative attitude of employees.

• Team Orientation: Degree of collaboration among employees.

Current Issues in Organizational Culture

• Managers face the challenge of creating a culture that values diversity and inclusivity.

Understanding the External Environment

Components of the External Environment

• Specific Environment: Immediate external forces impacting the organization.

• General Environment: Broad conditions (economic, socio-cultural, political, legal, etc.) influencing the organization.

  • Key acronym: PESTLE (Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal, Environmental).

Environmental Uncertainty

• Refers to the extent of knowledge and predictability managers have about changes in the external environment.

• Influenced by:

  • Degree of change: Dynamic versus stable environments.

  • Environmental complexity: Number of external factors impacting the organization.

Managing Stakeholder Relationships

• Stakeholders: Any constituencies in the organization's external environment affected by the organization.

• Key groups include owners, partners, government, and customers.

Ethically Responsible Management

Importance of Ethical Management

• Managers must understand the implications of their actions on stakeholders and the environment.

Learning Outcomes on Ethics and Responsibility

1. Discuss social responsibility's meaning and influencing factors.

2. Examine how responsible management impacts organizational performance.

3. Explain sustainable management principles.

Socially Responsible Management

• Defined variously as:

  • Solely profit making.

  • Going beyond profit.

  • Activities intended to further social welfare or environmental conditions.

Views on Social Responsibility

1. Classical View: Emphasizes profit maximization as a social responsibility.

2. Socio-economic View: Corporate responsibility extends beyond shareholder interests.

Enhancing Social Responsibility

• Social Responsiveness: Organizations respond to social needs in practical and market-oriented ways.

• Ethics in Management: Ethical obligations exceed legal compliance; companies must actively contribute to societal welfare.

Factors Affecting Ethical Behavior

1. Stages of moral development (Kohlberg's framework).

2. Individual characteristics (values, ego strength, locus of control).

3. Structural variables (company policies, organizational culture).

4. Issue intensity affecting decisions (consensus, proximity to victims, potential harm).

Initiatives to Promote Ethical Behavior

1. Leadership by example.

2. Establish and communicate Codes of Ethics.

3. Hire individuals who align with ethical standards.

4. Provide ethics training for employees.

5. Support those facing ethical dilemmas.

6. Implement performance appraisal systems that reflect ethical standards.

7. Conduct independent social audits to ensure compliance.

Recent Ethical Situations Examined

Examined case: The Rana Plaza collapse, raising questions of corporate responsibility regarding labor conditions and ethical treatment of workers.

Conclusion

• Important to engage in discussions about the ethical obligations businesses have and the implications of their practices.